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- Ελληνικά
Good morning to all.
Thank you very much for inviting me to today's session.
It is a pleasure to be in the House of Representatives, after a long time and in a different capacity, especially for an issue that is really close to my heart, such as the Independent Social Support Agency (ISSA).
A great social tool that has been for years a refuge for many children from all over Cyprus, and our stranded children, to be able to start and complete their studies to their first degree.
Let me give you a full picture of the Body and its work.
The Independent Social Support Body was created when it was realised that, due to the financial crisis of 2013, many students were dropping out or were unable to start undergraduate studies.
A state "special fund" was created to which natural and legal persons could make contributions so that, based on criteria, students, mainly first degree students, could receive grants/scholarships for their tuition fees or rent (amounts from €1500 to €3500). As you know, the establishment and operation of the "Entity" was established in October 2014 by Law 156(I) 2014. The Management Committee, chaired by the wife of the President of the Republic, is responsible for the administration and management. The first chairperson was the initiator of the institution, Mrs Andri Anastasiades, to whom we owe this fund. The Treasurer of the Committee is the Accountant General and its members are the Directors General of the Ministries of Labour & Social Insurance, Education, Sports and Youth and Health.
The resources of the Institution come from sponsorships and it does not have any support from the Permanent Fund of the Republic. The Institution has no administrative and other expenses and does not engage in financial transactions. Administrative support is provided by officials working at the Presidency of the Republic. Whatever goes into its account translates into assistance to our children and this is something that may not happen in any other charitable institution. Because the Institution is a registered charity with the Department of Taxation and all grants are tax deductible.
I took over in March 2023, when my husband was elected President of the Republic. After being briefed on my potential responsibilities as executive chairman, I studied the law and regulations, was briefed on the criteria and all the procedures for operating and evaluating applications up to that time, how audits are carried out with regard to sponsorships and that there is respect for the personal data of all, beneficiaries and sponsors, as required by relevant legislation.
This year we have revamped our website, www.socialsupport.gov.cy, to make it easier to use and for children to have all the information available to them. Applications are usually made in October/November each year. Also, starting this year, contributions can be made through the JCC on our website. We are proud of all of this because not [EVEN] a cent was spent
And I am happy to take this opportunity to share with you that this year, for the first time, increased revenue has allowed us to create a category of beneficiaries who will not be subject to any income/property criteria. And that's our big innovation. Because we decided - the Commission decided - that the state should support children orphaned by two parents, children in the custody of the state, children of the incarcerated, children of the victims of Marie, Helios and people who died in the line of public duty, children of single parents if the family has more than four dependants and children of large families if there are more than five dependants, without asking whether they have, for example, inherited an asset or received a small amount of compensation from an insurance policy for the loss of parents. And we put it into practice.
All of these children, this year there were 107 in number, we support them. This is what a society of justice and empathy owes. All other children are subject to income and property criteria. We have relaxed them somewhat, but they are still very strict. Enhanced revenue/grants from our upcoming campaign, 2024/2025, will allow us to relax the criteria further, so that we can help more children who need it so much.
Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have had and still have confidence in the institutions of the State.
I received adequate assurances from the outset, and before I started work, that the Institution was operating in a transparent manner, and since there were no expenses or financial transactions, everything was operating properly and under the required controls. I was particularly interested in this aspect of transparency and accountability, and only when I felt secure in terms of adequate controls did I take action on new grants. I wanted to ensure that from 1 March 2023, because from then on I was in charge, everything would be clear.
It is also clear in the law that, apart from the fact that contributions are made by remittances to the Central Bank, which of course controls their source, the Treasurer is the Accountant General and that I, as President, have nothing to do with the financial part. The annual financial statements of the body are subject to audit by the Auditor General, who can also audit the register, which is of course kept in compliance with the principle of confidentiality. In addition, a copy of the audited financial statements shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic. I have been informed that the Auditor General has always carried out the required audit and nothing of particular concern has ever been found.
Honourable Members of Parliament,
I was very familiar with and appreciated the activity of the Institution and I felt that it was at least my responsibility to strengthen it as much as I could, to update it to meet the requirements of today's times, and to make it better known to both potential beneficiaries and potential donors through the media and social media.
My goal from the beginning was for the Institution to be renewed and strengthened, to enter its second decade of life and help as many students as possible.
I feel the need to say a few words about our students, our beneficiaries. These are children from very low income backgrounds, parents in many cases recipients of EEO or with other social economic problems. Beneficiaries can also be older students, as long as it relates to their first degree. We have cases of women who did not have the opportunity at 18 and are trying at 35-40 to study. There are detailed criteria, which at my suggestion, after March 2023 will also be posted on our website, so that all children know specifically whether or not they are entitled to assistance.
From 2014 to date, 3,721 students have been assisted with more than €4,383.079 million. These students would not have been able to study without the Institution.
In my perception, in a time of austerity, after a pandemic and wars, with shaken mental health of many young people, unfortunately also children, at a time when Cyprus is among the countries with a very low birth rate, when the family, the most sacred institution we have, is shaken, I considered it, therefore, a minimum duty from me to make use of my contacts, as wife of the President, my dozens of participations in events - I am honorary member or chairman of many charities and NGOs and executive chairman of the Radio Marathon - to persuade major companies, organisations, foundations, Cypriots in the diaspora and the shipping community to stand by their state with sponsorships that will educate our children. Because education is the best investment for a society and I believe we all agree on that.
For an orphaned child, a child under the guardianship of the state, or from a family with little income, it is even more important to acquire this means of education, to be able to claim a better future than to go through the suffering of life from 18 without higher education.
So I had a lot of faith in the strength and potential of the Institution, which is not interested in and only knows the socio-economic situation of the children. This year 1340 children applied and we expect it to be somewhere around 800/900 maybe even 1000, hopefully more children will qualify and get help. We already started payments a month ago and we have evolved the procedures so that children can receive the aid within the academic year and there are no delays.
By Easter we have set a target to complete the payments so that we can start again. First we will inform our sponsors about the scholarships we gave, our campaign for new grants for the academic year 2024/2025 and our goals are even more ambitious because there are many companies that support and trust our state and its institutions. And this is very promising, we must support it. And if they don't donate to us, they will give this money to other NGOs and they will lose our children.
Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen of Parliament,
It takes a lot of work to convince big donors to support a special state fund. Particularly at a time when there are so many charities and long-standing gaps in social provision in Cyprus. But it is worth the effort because our children benefit. Those children who are suffering. Those children who, without the Institution, will not be able to study. And I hope that we will join forces to further strengthen the Institution, because there is no other state tool to support the education of children from low-income families, and we have to work together to strengthen it. It belongs to our state, to all the children of Cyprus. I am temporarily chairing it and I want to hand over to the next First Lady, if she wishes to take over, a fund as strengthened as possible, with criteria that will allow scholarships to many, many young people.
Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen of Parliament,
In these ten years the Institution has made a very remarkable contribution to society, supporting students in a transparent and meritocratic manner, methodically and quietly. It has filled a gap that existed and we are grateful for this, as are the approximately 1000 families that will be supported by it this year. We may even triple the number of students who will receive help this year and that is thanks to our sponsors.
I started by saying that the Institution is in my heart, that is why I chose, instead of stagnation and the easy way, to develop it, to try to strengthen it and I am grateful to all the persons, companies and organizations that support the Institution and therefore support the studies of our children of Cyprus.
The Cypriot family needs the Institution. Unfortunately, even those who theoretically have sufficient income need us now. With two and three children it is very difficult for a middle class family to educate their children. And I want us to be able, with increased sponsorships, to support these families, single parents, large families. We can do it, I am optimistic and I will work as hard as I can.
We need you by our side on this journey.
With control, yes, with strict adherence to the principle of transparency, with respect for personal data and the right to anonymity, even in charity.
Careful not to harm our children.
Thank you very much and I am at your disposal.
(PM/NG/EATH)
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